Osaka Castle Park | Review by Gina C

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) was already packed with people as soon as it opened. Almost everyone headed toward the popular Mario area in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and the Harry Potter area, and the park was really lively!

Although almost every popular attraction had a wait of at least 2 hours, and just thinking about the wait was a little exhausting, it still felt well worth it after actually going on the rides. From waiting in line to finally getting on the attraction, the whole experience was filled with anticipation, and afterward, I felt it was worth the wait.

At Hozenji in Osaka, I came specifically to try the famous “Meoto Zenzai.” Two bowls of piping-hot sweet red bean soup with rice dumplings were brought to the table, and just looking at them felt so comforting. The soup was sweet, and the red beans were very soft!

After finishing the hot red bean soup with rice dumplings, I felt warm all over. When visiting Hozenji, I highly recommend stopping by for some Meoto Zenzai and experiencing this traditional dessert with a story behind it!

At Jiyuken in Namba, Osaka, it was my first time seeing a raw egg placed directly on top of curry rice. At first, I was actually a little hesitant to eat it and wondered, “Does raw egg really taste good with curry?”

But since I was already there, I worked up the courage to try a small bite! After mixing the raw egg into the curry rice, the texture became smoother, and the egg flavor mellowed out the curry quite a bit. It was surprisingly easy to eat.